Monday, May 24, 2010

Memorial Day

Every Memorial Day, Americans remember the debt of gratitude we owe to our veterans. On this important day, communities across our Nation stop to remember and to honor the great sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform. Through the course of our Nation's history, more than 41 million Americans have served the cause of freedom and more than a million have died in its name. On this noble American holiday, we solemnly pause to remember the men and women who gave their lives in service to our Nation. We honor those generations and individuals who fought for liberty and in defiance of tyranny that this unique experiment in self-government might long endure.

Our display case this month looks at War Memorials across the globe, one of those memorials is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. This memorial in Washington is made of polished black granite it reflects not only the veterans name but also the expressions of the visitors and the landscape. As you touch a name on the wall, you can’t help but think of the sacrifice made, the life that was lost and the family that was left behind. Three Reedsburg’s soldiers Cpl. Thomas Klemp, PFC. Michael Prothero, and Pvt. Jerome Schuett gave their lives in Vietnam. Our local history archives collection includes rubbings of there names from the Vietnam Memorial. All war memorials across our country serve as a silent reminder of all the Americans who died in war. The Reedsburg Public Library closes each year on Memorial Day. They do this to honor those who have sacrificed so much for us.